KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Western Michigan softball team closed out its regular season slate over the weekend, winning one of three at Northern Illinois to receive the No. 8 seed for the Mid-American Conference Tournament at Firestone Stadium in Akron, Ohio. The Broncos are set to open the tournament versus the No. 1 seeded Miami University on Wednesday, May 8 at 1 p.m.

GAME INFORMATION
Wednesday, May 8 | 1 p.m. | Akron, Ohio | Firestone Stadium
No. 8 Western Michigan Broncos (18-26, 9-11 MAC) vs. No. 1 Miami Redhawks (33-14, 16-4 MAC)

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The Broncos secured a spot in the MAC Tournament for the fourth consecutive season, coming in as an underdog as the No. 8 seed this year. WMU has turned in an 8-8 record over the past four seasons in the conference playoffs, including a run to the championship after dropping a first round game and eventually falling to Ball State, in 2015. Western Michigan last won the MAC Tournament in 2011. A season ago, Western Michigan entered the MAC Tournament as the No. 5 seed and opened with a 4-3 loss to No. 4 Kent State. WMU then defeated No. 8 Miami in the elimination bracket prior to being knocked out by No. 3 Toledo. 

With a win on Wednesday, the Broncos will advance in the winner's bracket and will face the winner of No. 4 Northern Illinois and No. 5 Central Michigan at 1 p.m. Thursday. With a loss, WMU drops into the loser's bracket with a chance to stay alive versus the loser of NIU/CMU at 10:30 a.m. Thursday. 

SCOUTING MIAMI
The Redhawks head into postseason play as the tournament favorite as they earned MAC regular season title, finishing with a 16-4 record in the MAC. During conference play, Miami had the best pitching and defense in 2019, combining for a 1.69 ERA and a .980 fielding percentage. Sophomore outfielder Lily Wilmot shared the lead in the MAC with 21 RBI, while sophomore pitcher Courtney Vierstra was the league leader with 111 strikeouts. 

BRONCO NOTES

• During MAC play, WMU finished the regular season with the second best team batting average, tallying 175 hits in 589 at bats for an average of .297
• Sydney Stefanick recorded two runs batted in at NIU to break WMU's single-season RBI record, with 47 on the season
  • Stefanick leads the Broncos with 53 hits, 12 homers, and a .384 batting average
• Stefanick and Kaylen Glenfield tied for 5th in the MAC with 26 hits each during conference action
• Stefanick ranked third in the MAC with 21 RBI
• Leadoff hitter Mackenzie Swinehart ranked tied for 4th in the MAC with 17 runs scored
• Senior Jordan Kurth paced the Bronco pitching staff during MAC play, ranking fourth in the league with an opposing batting average of .220 and a 2.08 ERA (6th/MAC)